One Book, One Toy, One Piece Of Clothing -- and Other Great Gift Ideas

I've seen a few of the videos from this year's Black Friday sales (and the fights they caused) and I'm not sure what to think. On one hand, I'm relieved to see that people are so willing and excited to shop -- it could be a sign of economic recovery. On the other hand, I can't help but feel sickened by the consumerism that has overcome our culture. When I look around my home, I feel that my family truly needs for nothing. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I'm overwhelmed with stuff. I spend my day cleaning up stuff, organizing stuff. I buy stuff to put my stuff in. I'm quite sure I'm not the only one in this position. That's why I've come up with a few ideas to help reduce the amount of stuff that I receive and give for Christmas this year. One of the things I am doing is "recycling" gifts . Alden's second birthday was in September, and it was a non-stop celebration with m...